Method of and apparatus for lasting shoes



Aug. 6, 1940. A. KAMBORIAN 2,210,586

' METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LASTING SHOES Filed March 16, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jnaewr fllarz Maniam @WQWW Aug. 6, 1940.

A. KAMBORIAN METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LASTING SHOES Filed March 16, 1937' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 6, 1940. A. KAM'BORXAN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAST ING SHOES 3 Shets Sheec 5 Filed March 16, 1937 flZZerZ Maria? Q 9 QZZZ,

Patented Aug. 6, I940 Albert Kamborian, West Newton, Masa, assignor, by mesne assignments, to General Research,

Inc., Boston, Mass., setts Application March 16,

21 Claims.

I The present invention relates to the manufacture of footwear, and more particularly to an improved method of lasting and to novel appliances useful in the practice of such method. While of a corporation of Massachu- 1937, Serial No. 131,128

which are first raised for this purpose, and the wipers are then forcibly moved downwardly onto the presser so as to press its hot surface against the marginal material and thus to set the latter 6 more general utility, the invention is herein parfirmly in place. In accordance with other practicularly described with reference to its applicatices, the wipers are wholly retracted and the tion to the so-called cement lasting process, pressing device is forced down against the shoe in which the margin of the upper material is bottom, either by means of a special appliance turned in against the under surface of the insole adjunctive to the bed-lasting machine, or the i and secured thereto by'adhesive rather than by partially lasted shoe is removedfrom the bedfasteners, such as tacks, staples, or the like. lasting machine to an ironing machine compris 'In lasting footwear on a commercial or factory ing heated pressure-applying elements actuated basis, it is now common, after the insole and upeither by foot or by power. Commonly the force per have been assembled on the last, and after the exerted by the pressure-applying device has been ll upper has been properly spindled, to pull over substantially perpendicular to the shoe bottom, the toe and forepart of the upper and temporarily with the result that in some instances the upper secure its margin to the last by means of a few is squeezed out along the edge of the insole so as (from three to seven) pulling-over tacks. The no longer to hug the last closely and form the last with the pulled-over upper is then shank sharp, well-defined angle at the level of the botgg lasted and placed in a bed-lasting machine, with tom of the insole which is desired in fine footthe bottom of the last uppermost. In this mawear. To avoid this difficulty, it has heretofore chine the upper is subjected to a wiping operation been proposed to provide presser means comprisby means of which the toe portion of the upper ing relatively movable parts designed to move and, in accordance with some practices, the heel inwardly with reference to the margin oi the portion as well, is smoothed about the last and insole while exerting the requisite downward presthe marginal portion of the upper is turned in and sure, thus acting on the inturned margin with a caused to lie flat against the bottom surface of wiper-like inward movement so as to prevent the the insole. upper from bulging at the edges of the insole.

Preparatory to this wiping operation, most and While such devices do to some extent accom- 35 usually all of the pulling-over. tacks are withplish the desired result, it is characteristic of all drawn, and at some intermediate stage in the such prior pressure-applying and heating means wiping process, any surplus material at the toe, that it is necessary tolii't and/0r retractthe such for example as portions of the toe stiffener, wipers before the pressure-applying device can be toe liner, and upper, are trimmed away. At the disposed in operative relation to thewiper-in marheel the upper material is also wiped in, although ginal material. While this may be of little conwhereas at the toe the in-wiped margin of the sequence, when making shoes of the cheaper upper is secured in place by adhesive, the ingrades, it has been found in lasting fine footwear, turned margin is usually secured at the heel by where it is essential that the upper be drawn as means of permanently inserted tacks. After the tight as possible about the last, that during the toe has been wiped in, the forepart, that is to interval, however slight, while the wipers are re- 49 say that portion of the upper extending from the tracted from out of contact with the in-wiped toe to the shank, is also lasted in. While this material and the upper is thus left free, the upper latter operation may be done as a part of the side tends to draw back and sometimes to shift on the lasting process, it is common, when lasting by last, with the result thatat, the end of the pressing 45 means of cement, to last the forepart in the bed operation t pp i I10 8 snug y n permachine, the operatorpulling the upper inwardly fectly fitted tothe l s This is o serious a defect at the sides and ball of the forepartby means-of that some manufacturers insist upon the rather hand-actuated lasting pincers therebyto remove troublesome p fi P in mp rary the slackness in the upper material over the arch ,tacks to hold the upper securely in place during 50 of the last, the pressing operation and until such operation As adjunctive tothe above rnethodof procedure has been fully. completed. I V and to insure a fiat bottom, it has become com- 1 Itis further to be noted that iii-accordance monto iron the inturned margin of the upper by with the usual method above referred to of lasting means of a heated presser device. Sometimes the the forepart, the upper is drawn. upwardly and 5 presser device is inserted beneath the .,,wipers, inwardly by the use oi'hand-lasting pincers at the ball portion with the object of removing slackness across the forepart or arch of the last, such .pincers being applied first at one side of the shoe curacy of the final result depending almost wholly upon the skill and care of the operator.

Furthermore, at the heel portion of the shoe where the upper is drawn over onto the flange of the counter, minute wrinkles and creases frequently appear just where the quarter portion of the upper passes over the edge of the insole, and these creases and wrinkles can not be removed, if at all, in the final finishing operation except by the expenditure of excessive time and labor.

Principal objects of the present invention are to provide an improved method of lasting and apparatus useful in the performance of such method, whereby the above difficulties may be overcome and the common defects just referred to substantially prevented.

To this end it is proposed to employ pressure and/or heat in such a manner as to insure smooth fitting of the upper about the last at the toe and heel, as well as accurate and uniform. lasting at the forepart and ball portion, and to insure adequate adhesion of the inturned margin of the upper at the toe, forepart and heel, and to accomplish all of the above desirable results without necessarily removing the shoe from the bed-lasting machine.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention,

the heat and pressure requisite for obtaining the desired result is applied at the toe and/or the forepart at least, by the use of wiper devices, although at the heel, heated presser means other than wipers is regarded as desirable.

It has long been recognized that it is not permissible, as a practical matter, toheat the usual toe wipers to any such degree of heat as to enable them effectively to set the wiped-in portion of the upper, since if heated to a temperature suflicieht for the purpose, the edges of the wipers, as they move upwardly in contact with the upper before moving inwardly over the bottom of the insole, will mar, and in many cases wholly ruin, some of the more delicate upper materials.

It is accordingly a further object of the in vention to provide a method of and apparatus useful in pressing and setting the turned-in margin of the upper against the bottom of the insole, operating upon the general principle of the usual toe wipers and capable of applying the desired degree of heat and ironing pressure but without danger of damaging the most delicate upper materials and without requiring that the usual wipers be first lifted or retracted so as to release thevupper material even instantaneously in preparation for the application of the pressing and setting devices.

Further objects of the invention are to provide means operative to prevent surplus upper material, wiped-in over the insole, from being stuck down to the latter by the lasting cement; to provide adjustable means for tensioning the upper at the ball of the shoe whereby the tensioning means may be adjusted to accommodate shoes of different widths or styles: to provide improved means for holding the last stationary during the lasting operation, thereby to insure accuracy of operation of the forepart pressing and setting devices; and to provide means for actuating said pressing and setting devices whereby to insure together; and

panying drawings, wherein: v 5

Fig. l is a plan view, partly in horizontal section, illustrating an early stage in the bed-lasting operation as carried out in accordance with the present invention, and diagrammatically illustrating certain novel appliances useful in the g practice of the process;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating one means of support for the relatively movable setting and pressing devices;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic transverse section, sub- 15 stantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the step of drawing the upper snugly about the last at the ball portion and illustrating an appliance useful in performing this step;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrat- 2 ing a later stage in the bed-lasting process;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section, to larger scale, substantially on the line 4-4 of Fi 2;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic transverse 2:

sections at the ball portion of the shoe illustrating successive steps in the process of lasting this portion of the upper;

Fig; 8 is a fragmentary section substantially J the upper at the heel portion of the shoe, and also 3 showing, in plan, a heating and pressing device in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. .11 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in vertical section, showing the parts illustrated in. F18. 10; 4

Fig. 12 is a perspective view-showing the heel pressing and heatingdevice of the present invention removed from the bed-lasting machine;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view, to

small scale, showing the rear or quarter portion 4 of a shoe upper and indicating the wrinkles or creases which commonly appear at this part of the shoe as a result of the heel lasting operation;

Figs. 14 and 15 are fragmentary transverse sections illustrating the action of the wiper-ac- 5;

tuating elements adjacent to the ball of the last;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating improved means for positioning the last in a bed-lasting machine;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in a horizontal section, illustrating the improved gripper device for use in lasting the ball portion of the shoe;

Fig. 18 is a perspective view, to small scale, showing a pair of long wiper plates directly hinged Fig. 19 is a fragmentary section substantially on the line I9-|9 of Fig. 18, showing how the free end of the long wiper blade may be flexed downwardly.

Referring to the drawings (Fig. 2), the numeral I designates a. last having assembled therewith the insole 2 and the upper 3, it being assumed that, prior to the commencement of the operation herein more specifically described, the up- 7 per has been properly spindled on the last and has been pulled over and that its margin has been secured at its forward portion by means of pulling-over tacks to the bottom of the last, and that the shank has been lasted. It is further 7 aemsse assumed that the last with the assembled upper and insole has been mounted in a bed-lasting machine having suitable means for supporting the last, such supporting means preferably being of the improved type hereafter more fully described. The machine is also provided with relatively movable toe wiping plates 4 of the type commonly used in machines of this character. These wipers 4 are moved in and out by a hand lever (not shown) to ,wipe the marginal portion of the upper materials inwardly over the insole. It is to be understood that the toe lasting wipers are also movable heightwise ofthe shoe as usual by means of a treadle (not shown) and that the wipers 4 are utilized to wipe the upper heightwise of the toe before wiping it inwardly over the insole. The wipers 4 may also be forcibly pressed downwardly toward the shoe bottom. after they have been moved inwardly over the insole by the hand lever. use, are substantially at the normal room temperature, being hereinafter referred to as "cold wipers" to distinguish from the heated pressing and tingdevlces now about to be described.

In accordance with the present invention, the bedlasting machine is furnished with heated means for ironing and setting the wiped-in marginal material of the upper at the toe and forepart oi the shoe, preferably as far bash as the forward end oi the shank, such setting and pressing means being distinct and separate from the wipers t. As here illustrated by way of on ample, the improved pressing and setting means medlately beneath and, when retracted. may be kept slightly spaced, if desired, from the wipers d. Preferably, the inner edges of the support and the auxiliary wipers or presser devices (5 are upwardly beveled as indicated at 65 (Fig. to enable them to slide upwardly over the rounded edge of the upper where the latter turns inwarclly over the insole, so that in their inner po-= sition the members 5 may rest upon the inturned marginal portion'lvi oi the upper (Fig. 8). The support 6 and the pressing and setting members ti may be actuated in any suitable manner, either by hand and foot operated devices (not shown). similar to those employed for actuating the wipers t, or by power driven means, it preferred. The free rearward ends oi the elongate setting members 5 are swung inwardly over the shoe bottom as such setting members are moved rear wardly from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 3.

To insure the application oi adequate setting pressure by the free rear ends oi the members I, it is proposed to emplo auxiliary actuating devices such as diagrammatically indicated in Figs. 3, 14 and 15. Such actuating means comprises pusher elements 9 arranged at opposite sides of the last and designed to be moved inward simultaneously toward the last by appropri ate operating connections. such pusher devices As usual, these wipers 4, when in so as to wipe-in the marginal material of the upper as above described. With each pusher I is associated a presser device I slidably related to its associated pusher I and preferably having a beveled inner edge I". As the pusher I is advanced to push the member I inwardly, the corresponding presser device I is also moved inwardly but at a faster rate so as to ride up onto the wiper member I and to exert heavy downward pressure upon the latter as the wiper I moves inwardly so as to insure a proper setting of the wiped-in material against the bottom of the insole.

In their normally retracted positions, the setting members I preferably do not contact either with the outer surface oi the shoe upper or with the wipers 4, and in such retracted positions, these setting members may be disposed in heat transferring relation to underlying fixed heater plates (not shown) electrically or otherwise heated. However. it is preferable to mount. a housing i (Fig. 4) upon each of the members d and to install within this housing electrically heated coils designed to lteep the members t hot at all times and ready for instant use. To provide for variation in the heat supplied, a rheostat (not shown) may be connected into the heat= ing circuit in well known manner.

In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed to tension the upper over tbc iorepart or arch of the last at the ball portion by a substantiaily direct upward pull applied equally and simultaneously at opposite sides of the shoe. For performing this step in the operation, the bed lasting machine may be provided with an arm iii (Fig. 2) which may. if desired, be sup ported to swing in a horizontal plane and which has a vertically elongate boss it at its free end having a vertical bore which may be positioned directly above the bail portion or the last when the iatter is mounted in the machine. Within the bore in the boss ii is arranged a sleeve morn-- her it which may be moved up and down in the boss it and which is furnished at its lower end with guides for a pair or oppositely directed relatively movable sliding arms it), each provided at its outer end with a gripper device (3. Each gripper device preferably comprises a fixed grip per jaw it and a pivoted jaw it each jaw it having an inwardly extending rigid arm it. The adjacent ends of these arms it are pivotally connected by means oi pin and slot connections to the lower end oi an actuating rod it adapted to slide within the sleeve it. At its upper end this rod it is connected by pin and slot connections at it to a lever it ifulcrumed at it to a suitable support, such lever having an arm 26 to which is connected an actuating rod or chain 22 leading. to a treadle or other suitable device for manipu lation by the operator. "It is desirable to provide a spring it which tends to move the rod it and the gripper devices downwardly so as to bring the gripper devices into proximity to the upstanding margins of the pulled-over upper.

As illustrated in Figs. 5, 6. 7 and 17, the inner, fixed law it of each gripper device preferably is provided with an elongate guard member it designed to extend a substantial distancealong .the margin of the iorepart and to constitute a limiting stop engageable with the insole there'- by to limit downward movement of the gripper Jaw id. -When the stop 84 thus contacts the insole, it firmly holds the insole against the last bottom so as to prevent the insole from buckling, even if it be very thin and fiimsy, while a furtill ther slight downward movement of the rod ll, occasioned by the spring 23, swings each jaw l open to its fullest extent in readiness to receive the upper between it and the fixed jaw. Preferably the member it has a recess M in its outer surface (Fig. 5), said recess having a curved inner wall it for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

' the members M engage the bottom of the insole,

the jaws are opened, thus releasing the upper for further in-wiplng by the members 5. As the latter continue to move in, they wipe the margin of the upper over onto the bottom of the insole as shown in Fig. 6, but surplus material at the extreme inner edge of the wiped-in margin curls up as shown at C (Fig. 6) over the curved surface li so that it is not stuck down by the lasting cement and remains standing up after the wiping operation'is completed, as shown in Fig. 7, and is then trimmed off by the operator.

The lateral spacing of the gripping members it and M may be adjusted by actuation of a rotatable collar member 60 (Figs. 2 and 9), which is supported on the lower part of the sleeve l2 and which is provided with an annular portion ti which may be manually grasped and rotated. The lower flange of this member fill is provided with cam slots 65 which engage pins t l extending upwardly from the members it so that the members i3 may be moved simultaneously toward and from each other by rotation of the part 58.

A further feature of the present invention concerns the lasting of the heel portion of the shoe. Referring to Figs. 10 to 13, wherein certain usual elements of the heel lasting parts of a bed-lasting machine are illustrated, as well as certain ad- Y junctlve features in accordance with the present invention, the character 4 represents heel lasting wipers of substantially usual construction mounted on a suitable support S and actuated by means such as commonly used in machines of this character.

In accordance with the present invention, the heel pad, which is sometimes employed, is replaced by the quarter setting and pressing device 24. This setting and pressing device comprises relatively movable side members and 26 hinged together by means of pivotal connections 21 having a vertical axis, the inner surfaces 28 of the members 25 and 26 being of such contour as collectively to conform with substantial exactitude to the rear or quarter-portion of the last upon which the shoe is to be lasted. The members 25 and 26 are preferably of such vertical depth as to contact with substantially the entire quarter portion of the upper from the free edge of the latter to the point at which the upper turns inwardly over the edge of the insole. The upper surfaces of the members 25 and 26, as viewed in Fig. 11, substantially contact with the under surfaces of thewipers 4. The members 25 and 28 are furnished with outstanding lugs to which are connected actuating devices 30 whereby the members 25 and 26 may be swung inwardly and pressed with heavy pressure against the upper material at the quarter of the shoe. v

In accordance with this invention, these presser members 25 and 26 preferably are of some rigid material, for example, metal; a moulded synthetic resin; hard rubber; or the like, and are furnished with one or more cavities within which are disposed heating coils 32, preferably electrically heated.

As indicated in Fig. 12. the upper and inner edges 33 of the members 25 and 26 form acute angles and are adapted to enter into the crevice formed between the flat under surfaces of the wipers t and the wiped-in material of the quarter so as to apply pressure to that portion of the quarter which extends about the edge of the insole.

In order that the several operations above described, may be performed with the desired certainty and accuracy, it is necessary'that the last be held firmly in position so that it can not rock laterally. In accordance with the present invention, and as indicated in Fig. 16, the last is mounted on the usual spindle X and at its forepart the lasted upper rests on the usual toe pad P. Since the spindle socket in the last is often worn and enlarged, the engagement of the last with the spindle X can not be depended upon to support the last so as to prevent it from rocking sidewise. Accordingly the present invention contemplates the provision of a last positioner 3 3 having a wide or transversely elongate forward surface designed to engage the flat rear surface 35 of the forward portion of the last substantially from one side of the last to the other. The positioner 3c is pivoted at 36 to a bracket 87 projecting forwardly from the spindle post 33 and has a downwardly directed portion at engageable by an adjustable and preferably yieldably mounted arm forming a rearward continuation of a wedge member ill which moves rearwardly' during the operation 'of the machine thereby to lift the toe pad P.

During such rearward movement, the arm 40 engages the part as and thus swings the member as into pressure contact with the downwardly and rearwardly inclined fiat surface 35 of the last so as to prevent the last from rocking laterally. A spring 42 tends to swing the member 34 rearwardly to facilitate placing the last on the spindle X.

In performing the lasting operation in accordance with the present invention, and assuming that the previously pulled-over shoe has been placed in the bed-lasting machine as above described, the inner surface of the margin of the upper along the forepart and ball is first preferably coated with adhesive. The gripper devices G are then moved downwardly so as to receive between their jaws the marginal portions of the upper at opposite sides of the shoe at the ball portion. The operator then pulls the rod 22 downwardly, the first effect of which is to swing the arms l6 upwardly, thus closing the jaws upon the margins of the upper material at the ball portion only of the shoe. Further movement of the actuating rod 22 then lifts the closed grippers so as concomitantly to st etch the upper at each side and across the forepart or arch of the last at the ball portion of the shoe, the pull being of substantially equal intensity at opposite edges of the upper. Any pulling-over tacks still remaining at the toe are now removed and the cold toe-lasting wipers 4 are then operated in the usual way to wipe-in the upper material over the bottom of the insole in the usual way.

Incidental to the toe wiping, the surplus material at the toe is trimmed away and the opposed surfaces of the margin of the upper and the insole are coated with adhesive.

With the upper still stretched upwardly by the grippers and with the cold toe-wipers still advanced and holding the upper, the support 8 which carries the setting and pressing devices I is moved rearwardly. The rearward edge of this 5 support 5* in itself constitutes, in effect, a con-. tinuation of the parts 5 about the extreme toe portion of the shoe, and as the support 5* is thus advanced, its curved and beveled forward edge, as well as the adjacent edge portions 8 of 10 the members 5, comes into contact with the tensioned upper material Just where the latter bends over the insole, and the beveled edges 6 of the support and the parts i ride up over this curved surface of the upper material, raising the usual I toe wipers 4 as the members 5 and 5* advance, it being noted that as these members advance beneath the wipers 4 they exert a very heavy wedging action and downward pressure against the wiped-in upper material so that there is I no possibility that the latter can draw back. On

the contrary, the inward movement of these members 5 and 5*, under the very heavy pressure ex= 'erted upon them by the inwardly positioned wipers 6, accentuates the previous wiping operation, 88 insuring an extremely snug fit of the upper material about the edge of the insole. To assist in this inward movement of the members 5, the members it move in from opposite sides of the last, and the presser devices 9' move in over the rear ends of the parts 6 as above described, thereby insuring firm downward pressure of the parts against the wiped-in marginal material. In this so As the members 5 and 5* are heated to such a temperature as to be effective for setting the upper material, and as these heated surfaces are applied with such intimate contact to the upper material, the pressing and setting operation may 68 be accomplished in a minimum of time and with the utmost certainty of result. Since the upwlping operation is performed wholly by the wip ers d, which are cold, the principal function oi the members 5 and 6* is to set the wiped-in upper to material, although they have the supplemental function, as above noted, of assisting in the actual ironing of the margins of the upper. Thus, although the members 6 and 5* may be highly heated, t'i'iere is no possibility of damaging the 35 upper by contact with the exposed surface of the latter.

Since the heat is so effectively applied and under so heavy a pressure, the members 5 and 5* need only be left in operative position for a very Q short period of time and are then fully retracted so that the wipers 43 do not become unduly heated by contact with the inner portions of the wiper members t.

While as hereinabove described the support for u the wipers b functions as a wiper at the extreme toe, it is contemplated that the wipers 5 themselves may be so shaped as to contact the marginal material at the extreme toe as well as at the forepart and ball. I. In lasting the heel portion of the shoe in accordance with the present invention, the wipers 4 are manipulated as is usual to wipe-in the marginal portion of the upper at the heel. After this material has been thus wiped in, the wipers Il may be retained in their innermost position, and

tion like the plates 5 above described and being the {pressing and setting members 25 and 26 are then swung inwardly about their pivotal axis at 21 so as to press with heavy pressure against the quarter portion of the upper. As indicated in Fig. 13, the result of the wiping operation is quite 6 commonly to form minute wrinkles W Just where the material of the upper begins to bend over the edge of the insole, but by the use of the heated setting and pressing device here disclosed, such wrinkles, even it formed at the inception of the 10 wiping operation, may be effectively smoothed out so as to become invisible.

Since in the actuation of the setting andpressing device 24 there may be some tendency to produce a fullness in the upper material in the region of theedge of the insole, it may be preferred, after the presser device has been brought into intimate contact with the quarter, to lift and retract the wipers 4' and then after the pressure of the pressing and setting device 24 has been fully applied, to move the wipers inwardly again so as to take up any slack and smooth the marginal material down very flat against the bottom of the insole. This marginal material may now be permanently secured in place, ii desired, by 25 means of tacks. or any other appropriate fastening means may be employed. After the upper has thus been secured in position, the pressing and setting device 24 is retracted, the wipers are lifted, and the shoe may be removed from the lasting machine.

In Figs. 18 and 19 long wiping and setting plates 6' are shown, said plates being designed to funcprovided with heater elements 1 so that they may be preheated to the desired temperature. The plates 8' are directly hinged together at H like the usual toe wiper plates and may be secured to an appropriate support in the same way as the ordinary toe wipers. As illustrated, the free 40 ends 5 of the plates 5 are turned inwardly toward each other so as to reach well across the rear of the ball and, as above suggested, these plates may be longitudinally flexible so that, when subjected to the action of the presser devices 8, as

they will flex as shown at B" (Fig. 19) so as to conform to the curvature of the shoe bottom.

While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have herein been described by way of example, and certain apparatus useful in the w practice of the improved process, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to themethod steps herein described nor to the order of steps suggested as preferable, and that other and equivalent appliances may be employed in the practice of the process. all as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. That method of lasting the toe portion of a shoe upper which has been assembled with an 00 insole upon a last and pulled over, which comprises as steps wiping the marginal portion of the upper onto the bottom of the insole by the use of cold wiping means, and forcing heated setting devices inwardly between said wiping means and the wiped-in upper material without substantially relaxing the holding stress upon the inturned marginal material of the upper.

' 2. That method of lasting the toe portion of a shoe upper which has been assembled with an insole upon a last .and pulled over, which comprises as steps wiping the marginal portion of the upper onto the bottom of the insole by the use of coldwiping means, leaving such wiping means in holding engagement with the wiped-in upper 1| material, and forcing a plurality of heated setting elements inwardly in convergent directions from the margin of the insole between the wiping means and the wiped-in marginal material.

3. That method of lasting the toe portion of a shoe upper which has been assembled with an insole upon a last and pulled over, which comprises as steps wiping the marginal portion of the upper onto the bottom of the insole by the use of relatively movable cold wipers, maintaining the wipers in their forward advanced position, and without substantially relaxing the downward pressure exerted by the wipers, forcing a plurality of heated setting plates with a wiping action inwardly over the shoe bottom and between the wiped-in marginal material and the cold wipers.

4. That method of lasting an end portion of a shoe upper which has been assembled with an insole upon a last and pulled over, which comprises as steps wiping the marginal portion of the upper onto the bottom 01' the insole by the use of relatively movable cold wipers, and without substantially relaxing the downward pressure exerted by said wipers, introducing between them and the wiped-in marginal material a previously heated, hot setting element.

5. That method of lasting a portion of a shoe upper which has been assembled with an insole upon a last and pulled over, which comprises as steps wiping the margin of said portion of the upper onto the bottom of the insole by the use of relatively movable wipers, and without substantially relaxing the downward pressure exerted. by said wipers, forcing other and previously heated and normally retracted wipers inwardly between the aforesaid wipers and the inturned marginal material. 6. That method of bed-lasting the forepart portion of a shoe upper which has been assembled with an insole upon a last and pulled-over and into which pulling-over tacks have been inserted, which includes as steps simultaneously seizing the edge portions of the upper at opposite sides of the shoe at the ball portion only, pulling the seized portions of the upper at the ball in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the insole and with substantially equal tension thereby snugly to draw the upper across the arch of the last, removing any remaining pullingover tacks at the toe, causing wiping means: to engage the tensioned upper at opposite sides respectively of the shoe and to initiate the wipingin of the tensioned upper material over the insole, relaxing the pulling tension on the marginal part of the upper, and completing the wiping-in operation at the forepart.

7. That method of bed-lasting the forepart portion of a shoe upper which has been assembled with an insole upon a last and pulled-over and into which pulling-over tacks have been inserted, which includes as steps pulling the upper material at opposite sides of the last at the ball portion only directly upward away from the bottom of the insole and with substantially equal force at opposite sides thereby to tension the upper snugly about the arch of the last, and, after the upper has been so tensioned, removing any remaining pulling-over tacks at the toe and simultaneously wiping-in the upper at opposite sides of the forepart.

8. That method of bed-lasting the forepart portion of a shoe upper which has been assembled with an insole upon a last and pulled-over and into which pulling-over tacks have been inserted, which includes as steps seizing the edge portion of the upper at opposite sides of the last adjacent to the ball only of the last, simultaneously pulling said seized portions upwardly away from the bottom of the insole thereby to tension the upper across the arch of the last, removing any remaining pulling-over tacks at the toe, and thereafter, without removing the shoe from the bed-lasting machine, wiping the marginal portions of the tensioned upper material inwardly over the, last bottom, and setting such wiped-in portions by the use of heat and pressure.

9. That method of bed-lasting the forepart portion of a shoe upper which has been assembled with an insole upon a last and pulled-over and into which pulling-over tacks have been inserted,

which includes as steps seizing the edge portion of the upper at opposite sides of the last adjacent to the ball portion only, simultaneously pulling the seized portions upwardly away from the last bottom and with substantially equal force thereby to tension the upper across the arch of the last, removing any remaining pulling-over tacks at the toe and thereafter causing wiping means to move inwardly at opposite sides of the last and to exert a wiping action upon the marginal material of the upper from the toe portion of the last uninterruptedly substantially to the shank portion at both sides of the shoe simultaneously.

10. That method of bed-lasting the forepart portion of a shoe upper which has been assembled with an insole upon a last and pulled-over and into which pulling-over tacks have been inwith substantially equal force at the ball portion only in such a direction as to tension the upper snugly about the arch of the last, removing any remaining pulling-over tacks at the toe, wipingin the toe portion of the upper by means of relaively movable cold wipers, and, without removing the shoe from the bed-lasting machine, causing preheated wiping means to move inwardly and simultaneously to exert a wiping action upon the marginal upper material from the toe portion of the last substantially to the shank portion at both sides of the shoe thereby to set the marginal material flat against the bottom of the insole.

11. Method of lasting a shoe upper which has been pulled over a last having an insole attached to its bottom surface, which comprises as steps applying cement to the inner surface of the margin of the upper along the forepart portion, simultaneously gripping and tensioning the material at opposite sides of the ball portion, removing any remaining pulling-over tacks at the toe, up-wiping the toe portion of the upper by means of cold wipers, trimming away surplus material at the toe and applying adhesive to the marginal material at the toe, completing the in-wiping operation, moving preheated wiping means, extending around the forepart from the shank on one side to the shank on the other, inwardly over the bottom of the insole in a plane between that of the under surfaces of the operatively positioned and fully advanced cold wipers and the upper surface of the wiped-in toe material, causing the said heated wiping means to exert heavy downward pressure on the in-wiped marginal material, turning up the in-wiped marginal material at the forepart, and trimming oil? such up-turned material.

12. Method of lasting a shoe upper which has been pulled over a last having an insole attached to its bottom surface, which comprises as steps applying cement to the inner surface of the mar- 75 gin of the upper along the forepart portion," si- Ill , up-wiping the toe portion of the upper by means of cold wipers, trimming away surplus material at the toe and applying adhesive to the marginal material at the toe, completing the in-wiping operation, moving preheated wiping means, extending around the forepart from the shank on one side to the shank on the other, inwardly over the bottom of the insole in a plane between that of the under surfaces of the fully advanced cold wipers and the upper surface of the wiped-in toe material, causing the said heated wiping means to exert heavy downward pressure on the inwiped marginal material, causing surplus material to curl upwardly during such inward movement of the heated wipers, and trimming 01! such curled-up material.

13. Method of lasting a shoe upper which has been pulled over a last having an insole attached to its bottom surface, which comprises as steps applying cement to the inner surface of the margin of the upper along the forepart portion, simultaneously gripping and'tensioning the material at opposite sides of the ball portion, removing any remaining pulling-over tacks at the toe, up-wiping the toe portion of the upper by means of cold wipers, trimming away surplus material at the toe and applying adhesive to the marginal material at the toe, completing the in-wiping operation, moving preheated wiping means, extending around the forepart from theshank on one side to the shank on the other, inwardly over the bottom of the insole in a plane between that of the under surfaces of the fully advanced cold wipers and the upper surface of the wiped-in toe material, causing the said heated wiping means to exert heavy downward pressure on the inwiped marginal material, wiping-in the marginal material at the heel portion of the shoe and securing it to the insole, and applying heat and pressure to the outer surface of the quarter portion of the upper to remove wrinkles.

14. Method of bed-lasting a shoe upper which has been pulled-over onto a last having an insole attached to its bottom and into which pullingover tacks have been inserted, said method comprising as steps lasting the shank, applying adhesive to the inner surface of the margin of the upper at the forepart and ball, tensioning the upper about the last to remove slackness across the arch of the last by pull exerted simultaneously upon its opposite margins at the ball portion only and in a direction away from the last bottom, removing any remaining pulling-over tacks at the toe, and lasting-in the marginal material of the upper from the toe portion uninterruptedly to the shank solely by the use of wiper means.

15. Method of bed-lasting a shoe upper which has been pulled-over on a last having an insole attached to its bottom and into which pulling- .over tacks have been inserted, said method comprising as steps applying tension to the margin of the upper at the ball portion only in a direction away from the bottom of the last thereby to stretch the upper over the arch of the last, removing any remaining pulling-over tacks at the .toe, causing wiper means to move inwardly to cramp the tensioned upper against the edge of the insole, releasing the edge of the upper from \tension, and completing the inward movement of the wiping means.

16. Method of bed-lasting a shoe upper which has been pulled-over onto a last having an insole attached to its bottom and into 'which pullingover tacks have been inserted, said method comprising as steps seizing the edge portion of the upper at opposite sides of the shoe at'the ball poropposite sides of the upper in a direction away from the bottom of the last thereby to stretch the upper snugly across the arch of the last, removing any remaining pulling-over tacks at the toe, causing wiping means to advance into engage- {ment with the tensioned upper and to cramp the tensioned material against the edge of the insole, relaxing the tension upon the margin of the up-' per, and completing the inward movement of the wiper means thereby to lay the marginal portion of the upper snugly against the bottom of the insole.

17. Means for use in lasting shoes in a bedlasting machine including devices for actuating movable wipers for wiping upper material inwardly over the bottom of the insole, said lasting means comprising a pair of cold wipers operative to wipe-in the upper material at the toe of the shoe, and auxiliary preheated wipers disposed beneath said first-named wipers, and means for forcing said preheated wipers between the wipedin marginal material of the upper and said flrstnamed wipers.

18. Means for use in lasting shoes in a bedlasting machine including devices for actuating movable wipers for wiping upper material in-:

wardly over the bottom of the insole, said lasting means comprising a pair of cold wipers, preheated wipers disposed in a horizontal plane Just beneath said cold wipers, and means operative to advance said preheated wipers thereby to force them between the wiped-in upper material and the overlyingcold wipers.

19. Means for use in lasting shoes in a bedlasting machine including devices for actuating movable wipers for wiping upper material inwardly over the bottom of the insole, said lasting means comprising a pair of cold wipers, preheated wipers disposed in a horizontal plane just beneath that of the cold wipers, said preheated wipers having beveled inner edges, and means operative to advance said preheated wipers from an inoperative position in which they do not contact the shoe to a position in which they slide lasting machine including devices for actuating I movable wipers for wiping upper material inwardly over the bottom of the insole, said lasting means comprising a pair of wipers, said wipers being cold, preheated wiping means. disposed in a horizontal plane immediately beneath that oi the cold wipers, said preheated wiper means extending around the toe and the forepart of the shoe substantially to the ball portion of the latter, and means operative, after the cold wipers have been advanced to wipe-in the upper material at the toe, to advance said preheated wiping means and to force the latter inwardly between the operatively positioned cold wipers and the wiped-in material at the toe, thereby lifting the cold wipers by the wedging action of the advancing preheated wiping means.

21. Apparatus for lasting shoes comprising gripper devices simultaneously engageable with the margin of-the upper at opposite sides of the engagement by the extreme edge of the wiped-in upper material thereby to deflect said edge upwardly away from the surface or the in'sole so as to prevent such edge from heing stuck'to the insole by the lasting cement.

ALBERT KALIBORIAN. 

